After serving in the role for more than two years, History Theatre artistic director Richard D. Thompson has stepped down from the St. Paul theater company.

Local theater veteran Laura Leffler will serve as interim artistic director in partnership with managing director Karen Mueller, the company announced Monday, adding that further announcements regarding the transition and leadership plans will be made “in due course.”

Richard D. Thompson (Courtesy of History Theatre)

Thompson has more than 30 years of experience as a director, administrator, choreographer, educator and performer, including extensive work with History Theatre. He succeeded Ron Peluso, who retired in January 2022 after 27 years at the theater.

“Richard’s impact on History Theatre has been nothing short of transformative,” said president of the board John Sebastian in a news release. “He brought artistic excellence and a strong sense of storytelling to every aspect of his work. We are grateful for the vision he shared with us and proud of all that was accomplished during his tenure.”

Thompson said the past two years have been among the most meaningful in his career, but that the job ultimately wasn’t right for him.

“After much reflection, I’ve come to realize that my true passion lies in the creative process itself — developing work, collaborating with artists and centering my energy on the artistic journey of directing plays, operas and other performance pieces,” he said. “I’ve decided to step away from the administrative responsibilities of leading an organization so I can focus exclusively on my artistic practice. I leave History Theatre with tremendous gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead for both myself and this extraordinary company.”

Leffler has specialized in creating new works for the stage and new play development during her career. She co-founded and was the artistic director for 13 years of the now-sunsetted Savage Umbrella/Umbrella Collective, a collaborative theater ensemble dedicated to social issues, women and LGBTQIA+ theater.

She also served as the associate artistic director of St. Paul’s Park Square Theatre from 2017-2019 and has worked with numerous local theaters, including the Guthrie Theatre, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Children’s Theatre Company and the Playwrights’ Center.

Leffler’s first credit at History Theatre was directing “Superman Becomes Lois Lane” in 2020. She joined the staff in 2022 as new works and producing associate, producing and directing in the annual Raw Stages Festival. More recently she directed “The Boy Wonder” and “Whoa, Nellie! The Outlaw King of the Wild Middle West.”

“I am humbled to be entrusted to lead History Theatre through this transition,” Leffler said. “With genuine excitement, I am committed to continuing our vital mission of telling the history of real stories and real people.”

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El 30 de junio salió a la luz que el Departamento de Justicia (DOJ) había estructurado nuevas directrices para la revocación de la ciudadanía estadounidense a aquellas personas que se habían naturalizado y habían cometido ciertos delitos.

Espacio para la ceremonia de ciudadanía en las oficinas del Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración (USCIS) en el centro de Manhattan en 2016. Mucho ha cambiado desde entonces. (Adi Talwar)

El 30 de junio salió a la luz que el Departamento de Justicia (DOJ) había estructurado nuevas directrices para la revocación de la ciudadanía estadounidense a aquellas personas que se habían naturalizado y habían cometido ciertos delitos.

En un memorándum con fecha del 11 de junio ordena a los abogados de la División Civil que procedan a retirar la ciudadanía a los inmigrantes si suponen una amenaza para la seguridad nacional o si la obtuvieron sin reconocer delitos cometidos en el pasado.

El memorándum dice que la división civil del departamento debe centrarse en desnaturalizar a ciudadanos estadounidenses en todo el país, especialmente a los que representen un peligro para la seguridad nacional; o hayan participado en actos de tortura, crímenes de guerra u otras violaciones de los derechos humanos, quienes hayan cometido delitos graves no declarados durante el proceso de naturalización, delitos de trata de personas, delitos sexuales o delitos violentos; o promovido actividades ilícitas de bandas criminales; o fraude financiero.

También la Fiscalía General de los Estados Unidos puede remitir casos para consideración relacionados con cargos penales pendientes,  o “cualquier otro caso remitido a la División Civil que esta considere lo suficientemente importante como para tramitarlo,” dice el memo.

En Estados Unidos, si se desnaturaliza a una persona, esta vuelve al estatus migratorio que tenía antes de volverse ciudadana, por lo que podría dar lugar a medidas de deportación.

Si bien el memorándum es nuevo y supone una ampliación por parte de la administración de Donald Trump, el proceso en sí no es nuevo en el país.

Según un informe de 2020 del Immigrant Legal Resource Center, el gobierno adelantó en promedio sólo 11 casos de desnaturalización al año entre 1990 y 2017.

Así que para hablar más sobre el memorándum invitamos a Nicole Melaku, directora ejecutiva de la Asociación Nacional para los Nuevos Americanos (National Partnership for New Americans o NPNA) 

Más detalles en nuestra conversación a continuación.

Ciudad Sin Límites, el proyecto en español de City Limits, y El Diario de Nueva York se han unido para crear el pódcast “El Diario Sin Límites” para hablar sobre latinos y política. Para no perderse ningún episodio de nuestro pódcast “El Diario Sin Límites” síguenos en Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Pódcast y Stitcher. Todos los episodios están allí. ¡Suscríbete!

The post PODCAST: ¿Qué dice el memorándum del Departamento de Justicia sobre la desnaturalización de ciudadanos? appeared first on City Limits.

Timberwolves Summer League head coach Kevin Hanson noted the Wolves wanted to get Terrence Shannon Jr. more burn with the big league club in Shannon’s rookie campaign.

“We all knew he would be ready,” Hanson said.

But the firmly solidified eight-man rotation flush with proven players all deserving of hefty minute loads often prevented Shannon’s opportunities from arising.

But when his chances did come, the rookie often seized them. From a 25-point performance in Los Angeles against the Lakers to a double double in Minnesota’s stunning comeback in Oklahoma City in February to scoring 15 points in 13 minutes in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, the 24-year-old’s flashes were blindingly brilliant.

And all of the success has the wing feeling ultra confident heading into his second Summer League. Minnesota opens play in Las Vegas on Thursday.

“We expect him to probably be our leading scorer,” Hanson said.

It’s a safe bet.

“I would say I’m always confident, but it’s a little different,” Shannon said. “I’m more confident than I was last summer, but that just comes with work. The more you work, I feel like the more confident you are.”

And Shannon made a point to not only work during his rookie campaign, but also learn. He was frequently asking his more experienced teammates for insights and information and trying to apply those to sharpen his craft, particularly on the defensive end.

It’s now proven that Shannon can score. He’s perhaps the NBA team’s most dangerous transition freight train who can get to the free throw line and also proved he could knock down a jumper. They’re all reasons he was one of the best scorers in college basketball as a senior at Illinois in the 2023-24 campaign.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him score 30 points in a Summer League bout this month. But Shannon doesn’t have any goals of that sort. He simply wants to showcase his skills, win games and contend for a championship, even if it’s of the Summer League variety. He’ll enter the gym in Las Vegas this week feeling he has nothing to prove.

“I’m just looking to dominate,” Shannon said. “Just showcase my talent, win these games, just be the best version of myself.”

That extends well beyond scoring. Minnesota plans to push Shannon this month on both ends of the floor.

“We really want to see him defend. We’re going to put him on some tough tasks out there, and we want to see him take on those tough tasks while scoring, as well,” Hanson said. “You’ve got to do both. You’ve got to be a two-way player.”

And he’s got to be a multi-faceted offensive threat. Shannon’s primary form of offensive attack last season was putting his head down and getting to the rack, either in transition or by playing off the catch. That’s a necessary skill, no question. But Minnesota needs players outside of Anthony Edwards who can create off the bounce, both for themselves and others.

Hanson noted Minnesota plans to put Shannon in two-man actions where he’ll have to read the defense and make decisions. And he’ll have to do all of that while being the top item on opposing defensive gameplans.

That’s a far different scenario than where Shannon found himself in the West Finals, when he was where the Thunder would attempt to hide their big man out on the perimeter.

“So it’ll be fun to watch him navigate through that,” Hanson said.

This is the next step in the wing’s progression. One he has to take if he’s to seamlessly step into Minnesota’s rotation in place of the Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is off to Atlanta via a sign-and-trade free-agent deal.

Opportunity awaits for the second-year player here in Minnesota.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Shannon said of what’s to come next season. “But I’m also living where my feet are, and that’s Summer League. But of course I’ve thought about it. That’s why I’m working as well as I am right now.”

This is the training grounds to set up what’s to come.

“It was just a matter of time,” Hanson said. “There’s no turning back now.”

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr., right, takes the ball to the hoop as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)

Byron Buxton is looking forward to participating in next Monday’s Home Run Derby, calling it a “once in a lifetime” opportunity. That’s because the event is being held in Atlanta, just hours away from his hometown of Baxley, Ga.

But it seems nobody is more excited about the center fielder’s inclusion in the derby field than his 11-year-old son, Brixton.

“He always is like, ‘Dad, if you do this, I want to bring you a towel!’ And I’m like, ‘All right.’ That’s all he cares about,” Buxton said of his oldest son. “He wants dad to do it so he can bring me a towel and a Gatorade. And for me, that’s special. Out of everybody that’s there, all the people that he’s going to see, that’s what he wants and cares about. So it’s the small things that add up to the big ones.”

Buxton announced his plans to compete in the derby on his Instagram account one day after he was named the Twins’ lone representative in the All-Star Game. It will be his second Midsummer Classic but the first time he has participated in the derby.

For Buxton, who has already hit 20 home runs this season, the decision to participate was made after talking it over with those around him.

“When you’re healthy and you have the opportunities that come across to be able to do some things like this, you don’t tend to pass them up,” he said.

Buxton will be the first Twin to participate in the event since his former teammate, Miguel Sanó, did so in 2017. Just one Twin, Justin Morneau, has ever won the competition, edging out Josh Hamilton in 2008 in a derby that is best remembered for Hamilton’s record-setting first round.

He joins a field of eight players that so far includes Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., Washington outfielder James Wood and Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, currently Major League Baseball’s home run leader with 35.

In the first round, all entrants will compete against a clock and each other to hit the most home runs, with the top four advancing to the semifinals. From there, players will be seeded by their first-round performance with No. 1 facing No. 4 and No. 2 competing against No. 3.

The first two rounds last three minutes per batter, and the final round is two minutes long, with a maximum number of pitches that a hitter can receive.

“It’s just one of those things where, going back home to do something like this is a once in a lifetime thing,” Buxton said. “I know I’m not going to play 30 more years for (the All-Star Game) to get back to Atlanta, so it’s that once in a lifetime opportunity that, I talked about it with some close people, guys on the team, friends, family, and everybody got excited. It’s just one of those things where, they didn’t want me to pass up the opportunity.”

Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

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